Danil “donk” Kryshkovets has been named the HLTV x 1xBET Most Valuable Player of BLAST Open Porto 2026 after helping Spirit secure their second consecutive tournament title.
The 19-year-old finished the event with a 1.40 rating and narrowly beat teammate sh1ro in the MVP race after another dominant tournament. The award is donk’s 13th overall MVP medal and his 10th at a Big Event, moving him ahead of NiKo on that particular list.
Spirit completed the tournament by defeating MOUZ 3-1 in the Grand Final.
donk started Porto in dominant form
donk put himself in contention for the award immediately.
He finished the BLAST Open Porto group stage with a 1.61 rating, giving him a significant early advantage in the MVP race as Spirit progressed without dropping a map.
That run included victories over DENDELE, G2 and FURIA, allowing Spirit to move directly into the semifinals.
- donk averaged a 1.61 rating during the group stage
- Spirit reached the semifinals without dropping a map
- His full-event rating finished at 1.40
- The Porto award became his 13th career MVP
His numbers once again demonstrated the level of impact Spirit have come to expect from their star rifler.
At just 19 years old, donk now owns 10 Big Event MVP awards.
sh1ro pushed donk until the Grand Final
The MVP decision was not straightforward.
sh1ro produced several exceptional performances during the playoff stage and significantly closed the gap to his teammate.
The AWPer delivered standout displays in the semifinal and carried that form into the opening stages of the Grand Final against MOUZ.
For a period, it appeared possible that sh1ro could overtake donk and claim the medal himself.
| Player | Porto context |
|---|---|
| donk | 1.40 event rating |
| sh1ro | Major playoff impact |
| Spirit | Tournament champions |
| MOUZ | Grand Final opponent |
| Final score | Spirit 3-1 MOUZ |
The deciding stretch came later in the final.
Ancient shifts the MVP race
Spirit and MOUZ entered the third map of the Grand Final tied 1-1.
Spirit had taken Dust2 13-8 before MOUZ responded with a 13-11 victory on Mirage.
Ancient then completely changed the momentum of the series.
Spirit dominated the map 13-3, with donk producing one of the crucial performances that ultimately helped him secure the MVP award. sh1ro, meanwhile, cooled off compared with his earlier playoff form.
donk followed that performance with another solid contribution on Nuke as Spirit closed the series 13-6.
- Spirit won Dust2 13-8
- MOUZ answered on Mirage 13-11
- Spirit crushed Ancient 13-3
- Nuke ended 13-6 to complete the 3-1 victory
The late impact proved enough for donk to stay ahead in the individual race.
Spirit win second consecutive title
The Porto trophy also continues Spirit’s strong run of form.
They arrived in Portugal shortly after winning the Esports World Cup and have now claimed back-to-back international titles.
The victory over MOUZ carried additional significance because MOUZ had beaten Spirit in the BLAST Bounty Season 2 Grand Final roughly a month earlier.
Porto therefore gave Spirit an opportunity to respond directly to one of their most recent high-profile defeats.
They took full advantage.
After an undefeated group stage, Spirit defeated Falcons in the semifinal before overcoming MOUZ in the best-of-five final.
donk passes NiKo in Big Event MVP count
The award also adds another milestone to donk’s rapidly growing individual résumé.
His overall MVP count now stands at 13, with 10 of those coming at Big Events.
That moves him ahead of Nikola “NiKo” Kovač in the Big Event MVP standings.
The comparison is particularly striking because donk remains at the beginning of his career compared with many of the players around him on historical leaderboards.
His recent three-month numbers underline that consistency. HLTV currently lists him with a 1.43 Rating 3.0 across 62 maps, alongside 0.92 kills per round.
Those figures make him one of the most productive players in elite Counter-Strike.
Assessment
The Porto MVP strengthens donk’s position as one of the defining players of the current CS2 era.
What makes the award especially notable is that he did not dominate every stage uncontested. sh1ro pushed him seriously during the playoffs and had a legitimate claim entering the later maps of the Grand Final.
donk responded at exactly the right moment.
His Ancient performance helped swing both the series and the MVP race, while Spirit converted another deep tournament run into a trophy.
The wider picture may be even more important than the individual medal.
Spirit have now won the Esports World Cup and BLAST Open Porto back-to-back, turning strong form into sustained results. For donk, that team success continues to arrive alongside extraordinary individual numbers.
At 19, 13 total MVPs and 10 Big Event awards already represent a remarkable record. If Spirit maintain their current level, Porto is unlikely to be the last major individual trophy donk adds this season.
